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A crabby confrontation
Capt. Jack's Crab Shack owner sues former partner
BY CATHY JETT
Date published: 9/21/2008
BY CATHY JETT
For a fictitious name, "Capt. Jack" is causing real headaches for its Spotsylvania County owners.
John Hobbs is suing his former business partners for, among other things, using the Capt. Jack's Crab Shack name for their new store on Morris Road and saying the original Capt. Jack's on Courthouse Road had closed permanently.
"They were like family to me," said Hobbs, who has reopened the Courthouse Road business. "It's pretty disheartening."
Shelly Van Cleve, who owns and operates the new store with her sister and daughter, claims Hobbs had planned to close the original location and move to Florida, then changed his mind.
"Once he tried to open back up, I think we were doing really well down here. I don't think this is more than a case of sour grapes," said Van Cleve, who plans to countersue next month.
Both agree, however, that their business partnership worked for seven years. And both registered as owners of Capt. Jack's Seafood Shack LLC when they filed a certificate of assumed or fictitious name in Spotsylvania Circuit Court in 2004.
Hobbs' suit, in part, asks the court to clarify his and the Van Cleves' rights to the Capt. Jack's name. He and the Van Cleves tried, and failed, to settle out of court this summer.
Versions of how they came up with the name differ. Hobbs said he thought of it after staying at a bed-and-breakfast in Ireland where the woman serving him coffee kept calling him "Jack." Van Cleve said she brainstormed 10 or 15 names for marketing purposes before picking Capt. Jack's Crab Shack.
"It kind of rhymed," she said. "It was just a fictitious name, but you could invent a character with it."
Trouble apparently didn't start until the partners decided to expand. Hobbs said he wanted a family member to run the Courthouse Road store, which is on the same parcel of land as his house.
"Shelly did a good job; she can sell sand to the Egyptians," he said. "She got too possessive. When I brought this up, she got bitter and angry."
For her part, Van Cleve said she didn't want to turn the reins of the Courthouse Road store over to someone she didn't know, especially since she thought she was capable of managing both stores.
CAPT. JACK'S 6330 MORRIS ROAD |
CAPT. JACK'S CRAB SHACK 8624 COURTHOUSE ROAD |
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Date published: 9/21/2008
Most recent reader comments:
MarylandCrab???
(posted by
ATM_Doctor
, Sep. 21, 2008 7:58 pm)
Hey, I thought of that name first! I'm going to sue!! Waaaah waaaaaah!!!
Actually, you can't buy publicity like this. I say keep up the "Hatfield and McCoy" scenario and you'll be just as famous as Cooter's out in Sperryville!
Thou protesteth too much
(posted by
fredsuxx
, Sep. 21, 2008 5:49 pm)
Maryland Crab...and not too original. According to your
new registration(this morning) your user ID and comments,
it does not take a private d to figure you must either be the
one running the Morris road store, family or friend. At least
you are loyal.
Neither one of you are grown up enough to own a business!!
(posted by
Xfile
, Sep. 21, 2008 2:50 pm)
Susan.....give him the name. If you have good food and good service who cares what you call it. All this whinning may end up costing both of you more than just a silly name. Grow Up and spend your time doing something that really makes a difference.
The one on morris road will have to find a new name after its all said and done. Beleive me they will not win this case. I have ate at both places,and tend to steer towards the courthouse store. But that has nothing to do with the case. Mr. hobbs has the right to the name. And thats what will come out in the courts. Hopefully they can work it out and both stay in business.
..
(posted by
, Sep. 21, 2008 9:44 am)
The store on Morris Rd. is a lot more professional, clean and has better food.
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